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Kentucky Implements Medicaid Managed Care Plan

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Nov 1st, 2011

KENTUCKY IMPLEMENTS MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PLAN

540,000 Kentuckians on Medicaid switched to privately-managed health plans

 

FRANKFORT, KY (November 1, 2011) Kentucky launched expanded Medicaid managed care coverage today to 104 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.  The majority of the state’s Medicaid program, which serves nearly 900,000 residents, will now be administered by three new managed care organizations (MCOs).  Medicaid members in Jefferson County and the 15 surrounding counties will continue to be served by the Passport Health Plan and are not affected by this expansion.

 

Kentucky Voices for Health (KVH), a coalition of more than 250 health care organizations, individuals and advocates, has been working closely with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Department for Medicaid Services and the three new MCOs.  The goal is to help make the transition from state-run, fee-for-service delivery to managed care by contracted MCOs as smooth as possible.  

 

“As Kentucky moves to a managed care system, it is important that access to care, quality of care and efficiency and effectiveness in the system are maintained in the process,” said Jodi Mitchell, Executive Director of Kentucky Voices for Health.  “Our priority is ensuring that the 540,000 Medicaid members affected continue to receive the best health care possible, without interruption.”

 

Ensuring continuity of care during the transition is also a critical concern shared by KVH, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services and the new MCOs.  Meeting this requirement necessitates a thorough and exhaustive education effort to ensure that all those affected by the transition to managed care fully understand what it means to them and what actions are needed. 

 

For those who have questions, Kentucky Medicaid has established a new Medicaid managed care hotline.  Members may call (855) 446-1245 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday, to seek information about managed care.  Questions may be submitted online as well at the following web site: http://medicaidmc.ky.gov/Pages/contactUs.aspx?Source=index.aspx.  In addition, more information is available at www.medicaidmc.ky.gov, including a set of frequently-asked questions which many members may find helpful. 

 

Members looking for information about the individual MCOs may contact them directly:

“While we are encouraged by the willingness of the Cabinet and Medicaid officials and of the MCOs to work with the health advocacy community during the transition, we feel it is our responsibility to hold them accountable to ensure that patient care, and not cost savings, remains the focus under the new system,” said Dr. Sheila Schuster, Chair of the KVH Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Advocacy Action Network.

 

KVH is monitoring the rollout of Medicaid managed care and seeking input from consumers and advocates across the Commonwealth as to their experiences with the transition (good and bad).  KVH wants to hear from those who interact with the new system and plans to work with the Cabinet and the MCOs to address concerns that arise.  Those interested can visit www.kentuckyvoicesforhealth.org/medicaid.html to provide input. 

 

“We want Medicaid managed care to be a positive move for both the fiscal health of Kentucky and the health of Kentuckians, so we must continually strive to ensure that all who are eligible have access to high-quality, affordable, effective health care regardless of poverty status or disability,” said Dr. Rev. Marian McClure Taylor, KVH Board member and Executive Director of the Kentucky Council of Churches.

 

As Kentucky’s health care landscape evolves, KVH will continue its mission of helping to build a healthier Kentucky.  Managed care is and will remain one of the coalition’s top priorities. 

 

Kentucky Voices for Health, a coalition of over 250 health care organizations, individuals and advocates, works every day to help build a healthier Kentucky. We are a coalition of concerned Kentuckians who believe that the best health care solutions are found when everyone works together to build them.

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